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Journalism at University of Arkansas

Fayetteville, AR · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $38,354/yr (11% vs median)

AI Risk Very High (64% exposed)

Job Market Large (50,500 openings/yr)

ROI 14.7x earnings multiple (5.0x out-of-state)

Ranked #16 of 178 Journalism programs Top 10%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Journalism graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$586K	$573K	$516K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	15.0x	14.7x	13.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	5.1x	5.0x	4.5x
Probability of Field Employment	53%	46%	31%
DegreeOutlook Score	48	47	42

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$38,992

Out-of-state: $115,088 (5.0x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$70,100

-80% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$21,500

6.7 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$60,034

57% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $38,354 at University of Arkansas come in 11% above the national median of $34,417 for Journalism programs.

The 14.7x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 64% task exposure — and the 12% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $21,500 debt-to-$38,354 income ratio translates to about 7 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

A #16 ranking out of 178 Journalism programs nationally puts University of Arkansas in the top 10% — a strong but not elite position.

Earnings growth from $38,354 to $60,034 over five years (57% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About University of Arkansas

University of Arkansas accepts 72% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, one of the larger campuses at 27,312 students in Fayetteville, AR.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Arkansas →

Top Career Paths

Communications teachers, postsecondary $77,800/yr

Editors $75,260/yr

Writers and authors $72,270/yr

View all 8 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Journalism at Other Schools

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of Arkansas's Journalism program score?

This program scores 47/100 — on the lower end for Journalism. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.

How vulnerable is Journalism to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Journalism careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 64% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →